Features of 3 circuit protection devices (MCB, RCCB and RCBO) you have probably forgotten
Traditionally, fuses were the main devices chosen for final circuit protection, up until the 1970’s when circuit breaker technology started to become dominant. Today, the three principle circuit protection devices are: Miniature Circuit Breakers (MCBs), Residual Current Circuit Breakers (RCCBs)… Read more
Apr 25, 2016 | By Edvard Csanyi
Electric Circuits? It’s All About Nodes, Branches, and Loops
Since the elements of an electric circuit can be interconnected in several ways, we need to understand some basic concepts of network topology. To differentiate between a circuit and a network, we may regard a network as an interconnection of… Read more
Apr 23, 2016 | By Edvard Csanyi
What Would Be The Worst Type Of Three Phase Faults (And Why It Happens)
In a three phase power system, the type of faults that can occur are classified by the combination of conductors or buses that are faulted together. In addition, faults may be classified as either bolted faults or faults that occur… Read more
Apr 22, 2016 | By Edvard Csanyi
3 Designs of DC Distribution Systems In Power Substations
The method of connection of the battery, battery charger, and DC distribution systems depends on the duty, the type or load, and whether the system needs to be duplicated or whether duplicate chargers are required. One typical example for a… Read more
Apr 20, 2016 | By Edvard Csanyi
Two Basic Methods Used For Braking a Motor (DC Injection and Dynamic)
Two common basic methods used for braking a motor are DC injection braking and dynamic braking. We will look at both in detail, starting with electric braking. DC Injection Braking Dynamic Braking DC injection braking is a method of braking… Read more
Apr 18, 2016 | By Edvard Csanyi
You can use water pipes for grounding purposes, but…
Water pipes have been used extensively in the past as a grounding electrode. Water pipe connections are not testable and are unreliable due to the use of tar coatings and plastic fittings. City water departments have begun to specifically install… Read more
Apr 16, 2016 | By Edvard Csanyi
Why do we care so much about power factor correction?
Power factor, as every electrical engineer should know, is defined as the ratio of real power to volt-amperes and is the cosine of the phase angle between the voltage and current in an AC circuit. These are neatly defined quantities with sinusoidal… Read more
Apr 15, 2016 | By Edvard Csanyi
AC versus DC. Those were the days…
Take warning! Alternating currents are dangerous. They are fit only for powering the electric chair :) The only similarity between an AC and a DC lighting system is that they both start from the same coal pile. And thus did… Read more
Apr 13, 2016 | By Edvard Csanyi
5 anomalies in AC power that can damage your home devices
In addition to lightning, there are a number of other disturbances that can come in on the AC power lines and damage equipment. Some surge protectors can reduce or eliminate damage from some of these perturbations. There is considerable confusion… Read more
Apr 11, 2016 | By Edvard Csanyi
What would be the best conductor material for electrical wires and cables
The conductivity of copper is 65% higher than that of aluminium which means that the conductor size of similarly rated cables is proportionately smaller. Correspondingly less expense is then incurred in providing for insulation, shielding and armouring the cables themselves…. Read more
Apr 09, 2016 | By Edvard Csanyi
What Is The Energy, But For Real?
Energy is best defined as “the capacity for doing work”. Electricity is but one of many forms of energy. Other familiar forms of or descriptions of energy are thermal or heat, light, mechanical, and so on. Energy is also described… Read more
Apr 08, 2016 | By Edvard Csanyi
Power Measurement On Four-Wire System Using Wattmeter Methods
A four-wire system is suitable to supply unbalanced, three-phase loads or single phase loads distributed on all three phases of a low voltage installation. When measuring power on a three-phase system, it is really necessary to take into consideration the… Read more
Apr 06, 2016 | By Edvard Csanyi
The basics of selectivity (discrimination) between circuit breakers
On economical grounds and for the reason of reliability of the service, it is not always ideal to interrupt the supply to the installation in the case of a fault as fast as possible. That’s why we have the selectivity… Read more
Apr 04, 2016 | By Edvard Csanyi
Six core activities in the commissioning of the earthing system
Commissioning of new earthing system is essential as a validation step for the design and installation process and for the design inputs. In most cases commissioning should measure the outputs of the earthing system in terms of produced voltages and… Read more
Apr 02, 2016 | By Edvard Csanyi
This is why every industrial plant MUST have an alarm system (for monitoring processes)
In industrial plants and installations, control systems are used to monitor and control processes. Control Systems, whether a conventional Control Desk or a Computer/PLCs System with SCADA or a Distributed Control System (DCS), provides a human-machine-interface to monitor and control… Read more
Apr 01, 2016 | By Edvard Csanyi
